


My Hogwarts Academy: Izuku Potter and the Philosopher's Quirk

by idleside



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Aged-Down Character(s), Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Crossover, Gen, Hogwarts is UA, Izuku Midoriya is Harry Potter, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have One for All Quirk, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:22:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26588074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idleside/pseuds/idleside
Summary: Izuku Potter learned that the world was not fair when his parents were killed by a super-villain when he was a child. Whether by luck or by destiny, he became the first survivor of this villain, and was celebrated as “the boy who lived”.He next learned that not all men were created equal at the age of four, when his Quirk failed to appear. Now being raised by his aunt Inko Midoriya, the once-famous boy disappeared into obscurity, mocked as a Quirkless Squib, all but forgotten as the Magical world moved on.Despite these struggles, he never forgot his dreams of becoming a Pro Hero: the titans of their society, Witches and Wizards who use their magic and Quirks to protect people from villains.When he receives an invitation to Hogwarts Academy, the premiere school for heroes, it opens a whole new world for him, one that seems familiar and yet new, somehow. This is the story of how he fulfilled his destiny to become the greatest hero.(Harry Potter+My Hero Academia mashup AU! Characters from both series combined into new characters, the story follows both HP and MHA plot events *and* a different path of its own. After all, when combining two similar things, the result can be surprising!)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 5





	1. Introduction and Cast of Characters (updated as introduced)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The actual story starts on the next Chapter - this page is simply for keeping track of characters as they're introduced :)

**Introduction to the Setting  
**

This fic is the result of some off-handed comparisons between these two series, treated somewhat seriously! The two settings seem to fit together surprisingly well, and yet there’s some sharp points of divergence that seem like neat opportunities to twist them together into something new.

Generally speaking, all characters will be the result of combining a Harry Potter character with their My Hero Academia “counterpart”, but their depiction might fall more heavily towards one source character or the other. Some characters might wind up “inverted” from their depiction in one universe – a quiet and shy Harry Potter character might wind up combined with an intense and outgoing MHA character, for example!

Overall, I'd say to expect that the balance is skewed somewhat in the direction of My Hero Academia in the early parts of the story, while other sections might swing more heavily towards Harry Potter.

The new combined names are entirely made based on what I feel like :P Other than Izuku (which is addressed in Chapter 1), there’s no deeper meanings behind which characters retain their first or last names from HP or MHA, just to be clear!

Expect gender-bent characters, changes to canon ages in both directions, and plot events happening “out of order” compared to the source franchise’s timeline. Specific Quirks will work somewhat differently than canon, and many HP characters will wind up elevated from “background character with no notable traits” into new roles.

In short, extremely AU for both settings, but in a way that _should_ feel familiar to fans of both.

Spoilers for the MHA manga are possible down the line, but nothing on that front is set in stone quite yet. Spoilers for the Harry Potter series should be presumed :P

Finally, I won’t be making too much use of Japanese honorifics conventions, mostly because I’m simply not knowledgeable about the intricacies of that part of the culture, and I’d rather avoid them for the most part rather than get them embarrassingly wrong a lot of the time!

* * *

**Cast – Harry Potter Character + MHA Character = MHwA Character**

_Updated as of Chapter 3  
_

**Hogwarts Students**

Harry Potter + Izuku Midoriya = Izuku Potter (known as Izuku Midoriya)

Neville Longbottom + Katsuki Bakugo = Neville Katsuki Bakugo

Ron Weasley + Mina Ashido = Mina Weasley

Hermione Granger + Tenya Iida = Tenya Granger

Draco Malfoy + Shoto Todoroki = Draco Todoroki

Daphne Greengrass + Momo Yaoyorozu = Momo Greengrass

**Hogwarts Staff and Heroes**

Albus Dumbledore + Nedzu = Nedzu Dumbledore

Filius Flitwick + Present Mic (Hizashi Yamada) = Hizashi Flitwick / Present Mic

Rubeus Hagrid + Hound Dog (Ryo Inui) = Ryo Hagrid / Hound Dog

**Family Members**

Petunia Dursley + Inko Midoriya = Inko Midoriya


	2. Izuku Potter: The Boy Who Lived

Life in number four, Mustafa city was perfectly ordinary, thank you very much.

For one of the two inhabitants of this apartment, “perfectly ordinary” was, in many ways, both a blessing, and a curse.

Izuku Midoriya was once named Izuku _Potter_ , a name which came along with the title of “the boy who lived”. As an infant, his parents had fallen victim to the Symbol of Darkness himself, a fearsome supervillain who had seemed unstoppable, leaving no survivors behind whenever any heroes (and their families) caught his baleful eye.

No survivors, that is, until Izuku himself.

Nobody would (or could) tell him what had happened, but whatever had transpired that Halloween night, the villain had apparently suffered grievously in his attack on the Potters, the man who most feared to even _name_ disappearing from the spotlight, his burgeoning reign of terror ending as swiftly as it did mysteriously.

His aunt Inko had adopted him shortly after this tragic event, and Izuku had taken her last name along with his new home. In all meaningful senses of the word, she was his mother, so he never thought to argue against this identity, when he’d been old enough to have learned the true story of his birth parents.

Izuku had a childhood which was happy enough (especially considering the tragedy surrounding him), and like most young Wizards, he idolized the pro heroes of his world, those brave Witches and Wizards who dedicated their lives to making sure that nobody as horrible as the Symbol of Darkness could rise to power ever again. More than anything, he looked forward to when his own Quirk – unique, individual powers that almost all wizards and witches possessed – would appear.

At the age of four, when no such Quirk had made itself evident, Izuku learned the first of many harsh lessons in his life: “not all men are created equal”.

While magic was certainly a fantastical ability all on its own, it was an accepted fact that a powerful Quirk was the most important requirement to a successful career as a pro hero, and the dream that Izuku had chased for all of his short life had seemingly come to an end with the proclamation that he would likely _never_ develop a Quirk.

His mom’s tearful apology had only served to pin the last nail in the coffin of his dreams: “I’m so sorry, Izuku” did not inspire the confidence and drive that he would have needed to become a hero in the face of this adversity.

It was a cold comfort that his school classmates – except for one – had no idea about his real name. “Izuku Potter” may have been able to maintain his popularity despite being Quirkless, but might as easily have drowned under the combined weight of the disappointment of magical society. No longer would he be the boy-who-lived, but now simply “a Quirkless Squib”. Instead of the presumptive heir to the Symbol of Hope, crueler titles were now applied to him: “useless”, “weak”, even “hopeless”.

And yet, somehow, Izuku’s spirit prevailed despite all this.

He was a quiet boy without any real friends (nobody wanted to hang out with “useless Midoriya”, after all), but he had a peaceful, if often tearful, life at home. Izuku dedicated himself to his studies, and always maintained his interest in the world of heroes, dutifully recording every possible fact and bit of trivia that he could learn about _every_ hero.

Like most young wizards, his idol was All Might, a towering blonde Wizard who had the _most_ powerful Quirk ever seen. His hero was a pillar of their society, providing a source of boisterous comfort not only to Izuku, but to everyone who witnessed his acts of heroism. Izuku read every issue of “the Almighty” (a series purporting to tell stories of All Might’s adventures in other lands) so many times that he could practically recite them from memory, and owned every Chocolate Frog Card that had ever been printed (even the rare editions!). His notebook dedicated to All Might perhaps one of the most comprehensive reports on this great hero that existed in the whole world.

Perhaps the _second_ greatest tragedy in Izuku’s life was when his hero didn’t believe in _him_.

* * *

The day at Aldera Junior High started as most did: Izuku wandered the hallways to his classes alone, sat at his desk quietly, and took notes all while his mind occupied itself with visions of heroes. The closest person that Izuku could consider a “friend” had, thankfully, ignored him up until this point. Bakugo (who _insisted_ upon being called by his last name, _tolerated_ his middle name of “Katsuki”, and would _violently_ correct anyone who dared call him “Neville”) was the opposite of Izuku in many ways: bold, where Izuku was timid; confident, when Izuku was shy; and most importantly, _powerful,_ when Izuku was… not.

Bakugo had once been Izuku’s best friend when they were young children, in the days before Izuku had received those life-changing words ( _Quirkless…_ ). As different as they’d become, Bakugo’s own life story mirrored Izuku’s at the start, with the fiery blonde’s own parents being among the many victims of the Symbol of Darkness and his followers.

Bakugo’s own aunt and uncle had also taken him in, and they were close friends of Inko Midoriya. As boys, the pair had been pushed together, each of their parents hoping that the two would be able to support each other, having lived through such similar tragedies.

When Bakugo got _his_ quirk, that had changed. The young Wizard had an ability to generate explosions from his palms, an innate ability which was faster, more powerful, and much more versatile than even a practiced Wizard’s version of _bombarda_. In short, it was a Quirk perfectly suited to heroism.

This was not a fact that escaped Bakugo’s notice. As the boy climbed to the top of the social ladder (a position he’d never relinquished through grade school or junior high), so too did Izuku fall to the bottom. Where Bakugo had once been a nervous young boy himself, his confidence grew to the point of becoming _dangerous_ to others; as anyone who dared stand up to him quickly learned, “Quirk: Explosion” put Bakugo in a class of his own.

Not even the various teachers the boys had had were able to stand against the sheer _intensity_ of Neville Bakugo, a fact which was made very clear by the end of the school day.

“Don’t lump me in with those extras,” Bakugo had growled, “after all, I’ve got my _letter_ already.”

The classroom had gasped at this, the only person in the room _not_ surprised by this announcement being, of course, Izuku himself.

While many academies existed to train Wizards and Witches to become pro heroes, it was undoubtedly clear that All Might’s former alma mater stood as high above its competitors as All Might did above the other pros: Hogwarts Academy was _the_ only destination that budding pro heroes dreamed of.

That Bakugo had already received his letter of invitation was another point in favour of his own self-proclaimed superiority. Most other hopefuls would have to wait until the end of junior high, when the staff of Hogwarts had time to pore over the hundreds of applications sent by heroes-to-be, offering the vaunted invitation letter only to the best of the best.

Izuku had sent his own application in, of course. Though everyone he knew would call him a fool for still holding out hope after all this time, one of the little-known facts of Hogwarts was that (unlike most of the other schools) the academy had no _official_ requirement that a prospective student had a Quirk.

“Yes, well,” the teacher droned on – if he’d noticed Bakugo’s disrespectful tone, he wasn’t going to comment on it – while continuing his announcement, “it is awfully rare to be accepted to Hogwarts. The rest of you in class should not feel ashamed if you chose not to apply, it’s simply common sense to focus on more realistic schools. After all, only two students from this class even sent in applications.”

“Eh?” Bakugo turned around in his seat, swiveling to fix his crimson eyes on Izuku, who tried his best to keep his head down, as if he could shrink away from Bakugo’s notice.

“Deku…” Bakugo’s nickname for his once-friend was a cruel one, another word for “useless” based on an alternative reading of his name, “someone _useless_ like you will never get accepted to Hogwarts.” 

“W-well,” Izuku stuttered his reply, “you, never know unless you try, right?”

He tried his best to imitate his idol’s spotless grin, but on Izuku’s fearful face, the expression looked closer to a wince.

“You’re still fuckin’ writing these?” Bakugo growled, staring at one of Izuku’s notebooks dedicated to his heroic pursuits, “I thought you’d have learned by now…”

Izuku thought of protesting, then swallowed the words into a quiet mumble, as Bakugo picked up “Hero Analysis for the future, #13” from Izuku’s desk. With a loud _crack_ , an explosion echoed between his palms, scorching the pages halfway to ashes, before he flung it out an open window.

“You know what they say about all top heroes?” Bakugo leaned over Izuku, “what they all had in common? That they showed promise from an early age, they were elite even in junior high.”

“Y-yeah,” Izuku flinched, glancing out the window to the remnants of his notebook, now floating in a pond.

“You can’t even protect a fucking book,” Bakugo sneered, “how do you think you could be a hero who protects _anyone_? Give up, _Deku_.”

As the explosive blonde stormed away from the desk, the final bell rang, and Izuku hurried (after waiting long enough for Bakugo to storm off somewhere) outside to retrieve his notebook. While the cover was scorched beyond recognition, he was overjoyed to find that the contents were still somewhat-legible, and between the surviving pages and his excellent memory, he’d be able to reproduce his notes once he got home.

He was so focused on this task that he stopped paying attention to his surroundings as he hurried home, ducking beneath an overpass to take a shortcut, and completely failing to notice the ominous rattling coming from the sewers beneath.

Izuku didn’t notice something was wrong until a manhole cover rattled to the side, and a blob of some foul jelly-like substance erupted out of it.

“A medium-size disguise,” a wobbling voice cried out, “perfect!”

 _A villain?_ Izuku thought in a panic, turning to flee.

He was too slow, one of the gooey tendrils snapping out to wrap around his ankle, hauling him back towards the green blob.

“Don’t struggle, kid,” the villain muttered, “it’ll all be over soon, sshhh…”

Izuku thrashed about, trying to free himself. He thought about going for his wand (not that he knew any spells which would have helped) but before he could even reach for it, he’d become entirely surrounded by the villain’s strange, amorphous body. The goo flowed over his face, cutting off his air, and Izuku’s struggles grew weaker.

 _Is this how I die?_ he thought, as the world started growing dark around the edges.

“ ** _SMASH!”_** a new voice yelled, and Izuku gasped for breath as he was freed from his imprisonment. 

As he fell to his knees, retching and trying to spit the last remnants of the villain’s strange, Quirk body from his mouth, Izuku _almost_ didn’t realize whose voice this was. Once he did, his concerns about _breathing_ fell away to be replaced by exuberant fanboying.

“ _All Might_!?” Izuku cried, in disbelief.

“ **Just so, my boy**!” the number one hero proudly proclaimed, standing as tall as any of the statues of him, “ **My apologies! This villain was a slippery sort!** ”

“I-I-I need to ask you something!” Izuku stammered through his question.

“ **Already done, my boy!** ” All Might passed Izuku’s burnt notebook – which must have fallen from his grasp at some point – back to him, his bold signature scrawled across a blank page.

“N-no, it’s…” Izuku struggled to summon the courage needed to pose this request, “can someone be a hero without a Quirk!?”

Izuku thought that he saw a brief flash of something sad pass over All Might’s intense gaze, but his signature grin never wavered in the slightest.

“ **What is your name, young man?”** The hero asked, squatting to his knees so that he was on a level with his fan.

“I-Izuku Midoriya, Mister All Might,” Izuku answered.

“ **Young Midoriya,** ” All Might spoke seriously, “ **the world of heroes can be a cruel one. Many great things can be accomplished through magic alone. Many people look up to Aurors, Quidditch stars, or even teachers as their personal ‘heroes’, there are many ways to contribute to our society. Without a quirk… I fear that someone would not be strong enough to fight villains, to stand as a pillar against the worst darkness in the world. Young Midoriya, I cannot in good faith say that someone without a Quirk could be a hero.”**

The last remnants of Izuku’s dream shattered at his idol’s words, tears beginning to fall from his eyes.

“ **Sadly, my boy, one of the many villains a hero must battle is time!** ” the hero stood to his full height once more, walking from the underpass, before turning to offer once final piece of advice, “ **my advice would be to pursue another career, more suited to their talents.”**

With that, All Might disappeared from sight in a mighty leap, launching himself into the distance in the blink of an eye through the power of his Quirk.

Izuku wandered home in a daze.

* * *

The next days were little better for the young man. While he’d previously held some glimmer of hope at awaiting a response from Hogwarts, he now dreaded the inevitable letter of rejection. Though he didn’t tell his mom what the problem was, keeping his meeting with All Might a secret (he knew she’d break into tears at hearing of his encounter with the goo villain), she could tell that something had gone wrong.

Inko Midoriya was a kind woman, but she was also an overprotective parent. She’d noticed that Izuku had changed after he’d first learned of his Quirkless nature, the once-cheerful young man becoming withdrawn and somewhat melancholy. Long had she suspected that he experienced bullying of some sort at school, but he’d resolutely refuted the idea, insisting that he’d simply had a hard time with some test or another (hard to believe, given his grades).

He’d shown a glimmer of his childhood self when he’d proudly told her that he’d applied to Hogwarts, and though she didn’t believe that he’d have any hope of being accepted, she hid her doubts from him, not wanting to crush this tiny flicker of his optimism that had been missing for so long. Whatever had happened to drive him into despair, she feared that receiving this rejection would only make it worse, and so chose to block the Owl Post from arriving at their apartment until _long_ after he’d started at whichever high school he wound up at.

Little did they know that the letter which was due to arrive carried a very different message than either expected.

Days turned into weeks, and Izuku didn’t even bother to ask why the letter hadn’t arrived yet, the backlog of increasingly-urgent messages which grew at their local post office unknown to the boy or his adoptive mother.

This is why it came as a huge shock to both when, one morning, their routine was interrupted by a heavy banging at their front door, as if a giant were battering on the frame.

“H-hello?” Izuku answered the door, opening it to reveal – as suited to the sound – a giant of a man, standing at _least_ seven feet tall, whose face looked as if it were halfway between a human’s and an overgrown dog’s.

“Y-you’re the Magical Beast Hero: Hound Dog!” Izuku cried in surprise, his despondency momentarily brushed aside by his encyclopedic knowledge of pro heroes.

“And yyyouuuuuu!” the hero howled, “arrree Izuku Potter.”

“It’s Midoriya,” Izuku corrected, “Izuku Midoriya.”

“Right, of course,” Hound Dog grumbled, scratching at his ear in a very dog-like way, “shouldn’t’ve said that. But, you’re him, so, this is for you.”

The giant man pushed an envelope into Izuku’s chest, who clutched it in surprise. He had no idea why a _pro hero_ could possibly be delivering a letter to him, his confusion only matching the brief surge of hope that he felt for some reason.

“W-what is for me?” Izuku wondered.

“The letter!” Hound Dog pointed at the envelope, “from the Headmaster!”

_The Headmaster?_

As bafflingly as the hero had appeared, so too did he wander off without further explanation, sniffing at the air with his… snout? Nose?

With trembling hands, Izuku peeled open the edge of the envelope, pulling the contents out in disbelief.

“ _To Izuku Potter (Midoriya),_

_Your application to Hogwarts Academy for Heroic Witchcraft and Wizardry has been received, and as your Quirk Assessment is blank (resulting in a score of Zero Points), this would be a failing grade._

Izuku felt tears streaming from his eyes as he read the words he dreaded. However, the letter continued past this point, so he forced himself to continue reading.

“ _This_ would _be the case, that is, were that the only measure that we account for._

_Your academic scores are truly exemplary, and a keen mind and dedicated spirit can accomplish just as much – if not more – than a powerful Quirk. While it may be true that your score based on the assessment of your Quirk would be insufficient in most cases, this is not the only measure of your success._

_Furthermore, in every cohort of students at Hogwarts Academy, a select number are admitted based not on their test scores (Quirk Assessment or otherwise), but based on the personal judgment of a select number of Hogwarts staff._

_This is but your first step on an undoubtedly promising path, one which I firmly believe you will succeed at._

_It is my great pleasure, Mr. Midoriya, to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts Academy._

_You can be a hero.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was a fairly familiar start, wasn't it?
> 
> This is mostly a little creative project to help with avoiding writer's block on other projects, but I have some ideas about where I want to go with it! This fic is definitely outside my usual wheelhouse, but I think it's going to be fun to play around with!
> 
> I'm looking forward to reactions and responses!


	3. The Starting Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku takes the Hogwarts Express, makes a new friend, and possibly an enemy

It was a not-unusual sight at the train platform, where rivers of tears ran down the faces of both Inko Miodoriya and Izuku. The pair were prone to such emotional displays, but at least _this_ time, the cause for these tears was a happy one.

“Izuku…” Inko choked through a sob, “y-you look so… _cool_.”

Izuku stuttered his gratitude to his mom, still hardly even able to believe it was _real_ that he’d have the privilege to wear a Hogwarts Academy uniform. Thankfully, the school had moved past traditional Wizard’s robes quite some time ago, and even Izuku (with all his absent self-esteem) had to admit that the “blazer and button-down” outfit did, in fact, look _cool_.

He also knew what his mom meant beneath her surface-level compliment: she was proud of him for managing to – somehow – take the first step towards his dream of becoming a pro hero.

As the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station, they continued to tearfully bid each other goodbye, Izuku promising over and over that he’d make sure to write letters to his mom, and Inko similarly repeating her insistence that no matter what, Izuku had to stay safe.

Within the magical train, Izuku’s head practically swam with the realization that in a few short hours, he’d be arriving at _Hogwarts_ , which still felt as if it could be a dream. He pinched himself just to make sure, allowing himself to grin hopefully when the sights and sounds around him stayed real.

It didn’t take him much longer to realize that he felt _extraordinarily_ out of place. From what he could tell, Mustafu must have been one of the last stops before the train’s final destination, given that it was practically _packed_ with teenagers. The upcoming first-years of Hogwarts Academy.

_And I’m one of them…_

Given that Izuku hadn’t exactly been the most popular at Aldera Junior High (to say the very least), he was now faced with the first daunting challenge of his high school days: figuring out how to _socialize._

 _I know mom said I look cool,_ he thought, _but compared to my classmates…_

The teens who milled around the train represented a wide variety of personalities, backgrounds, and – most relevant to Izuku’s own interests – _quirks_. He saw one boy seated by himself who managed to look dour despite having a _bird’s_ head, and briefly considered going to sit with this apparent loner before talking himself out of the idea, muttering under his breath about what abilities this mutant-type Quirk might confer.

A trio of young women passed by him without a second glance, and Izuku quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to be caught staring at the three with open awe on his face. While many people might have assumed that his interest was the kind that many young men had in women their age, the truth was that his brain was whirling through the possibilities of what wondrous Quirks they might possess.

 _The lady who was in front is tall and looks mature for our age, perhaps an enhancer-type Quirk?_ The apparent ringleader of this group had indeed been tall, her bearing seeming noble somehow, as frosty as her gaze was. _Her friend with green hair is another mutant-type, but more minor, her jagged teeth could be cosmetic rather than part of her Quirk? The third girl, whose earlobes resemble an electronic plug-in jack of some kind, probably relies on that unique physiology somehow, maybe a sensory enhancement?_

His quiet, yet frantic train of thought was derailed by a second realization, a logical progression of the first one: the way that Izuku didn’t really have any friends logically meant that he’d never actually talked to a _girl_. While it was true that he was most intrigued in what Quirks those girls might have, he couldn’t help but blush at the awareness that all three had been _gorgeous_.

Izuku was well and truly out of his depth, and his _third_ realization, that he might very well look like a _creep_ , standing in a hallway and watching people while muttering under his breath, caused him to flee. He hurriedly found an empty car near the back of the train, throwing himself into the corner of a seat, excitedly pulling a new notebook out of his bag and starting to scribble his notes in it.

This notebook was titled _“Hero Studies #1_ ”, the first of a new series, one that he hoped would have many future editions.

He’d been so engrossed in his writing that he almost missed that the Hogwarts Express had stopped one last time, somewhere in the countryside outside of the city. Since Hogwarts – the castle-like complex of buildings that made up its campus – was located in the middle of _substantial_ grounds far away from the local metropolis, this was surely the final stop to pick up the last students before the train reached its most important destination.

With his head in the clouds once again, he actually jumped in surprise when the car door slid open, and a particularly unique-looking person poked _her_ head into the room.

“Heya!” the young woman cheerfully announced her presence, “anyone taking these seats?”

“Er, n-no,” Izuku mumbled, flushing in embarrassment as his own awkwardness, “it’s just, uh, just me.”

“Great!” the girl practically _bounced_ over to the seat across from Izuku, flopping casually to a pretzel-like position, “my cousins wandered off to sit with some silly boy’s club of theirs, they’re all about ‘manliness’ this and that and all that.”

“Oh, I see…” Izuku’s response was clumsy, while his brain was occupied with trying to analyze his new _guest’s_ appearance.

_I wonder if her Quirk is a full mutant-type as well? Some kind of flexibility enhancement? Or maybe she has a transformation power related to gum, or rubber, which would make sense with her skin, but then again physical mutations aren’t always actually related to Quirk manifestations, but her eyes are also very unique and that might be a red herring or it might be a-_

“Nope!” the young woman interrupted his thoughts, popping the final syllable of this word, “not too far off, though! You’re pretty keen on Quirks, hey?”

“S-sorry,” Izuku stammered, his blush turning into an outright crimson _inferno_ of embarrassment on his face, as he realized that he’d once again been muttering his inner dialogue.

“Oh, I’m not offended,” the girl smirked, a glint in her eyes. Her appearance was, indeed, _unique_ ; she had bubblegum-pink skin, her curly hair was a similar, somewhat more red tone, and the bright colours of her complexion contrasted sharply with her pitch-black eyes and golden irises. “But maybe I should be?”

“M-my apologies, I just really like Quirks, and I d-didn’t mean anything by it,” Izuku could have facepalmed over how awkwardly he was flubbing this first interaction with someone his age that _didn’t_ involve the threat of explosions.

“Yup! I got that much,” the girl leaned forward, crossing her hands under her chin as she cocked her head playfully, “I just figured you were checking me out, but instead you’re geeking out over my Quirk… what, am I not pretty enough?”

Izuku’s brain shut down, but not before he briefly pondered if flinging himself out of the train’s window would be fatal at this speed.

He was saved by the same person who’d put him in this situation, as the girl started giggling wildly, flinging herself back in her seat and kicking her legs excitedly.

“Relax, dude!” she smiled, and actually seemed to be genuine about it (rather than creeped out), “I’m just messin’ with you!”

“Oh, heh,” Izuku rubbed at the back of his head bashfully, “sorry, I couldn’t tell.”

“I’m Mina!” the girl – now identified – thrust her hand forwards with what seemed to be her ever-present enthusiasm.

“N-nice to meet you,” he replied, shaking her hand and hoping his palms weren’t _too_ sweaty, “I’m Izuku.”

“Ooh, good name!” Mina cheered, “like Izuku Potter, yeah?”

“Y-yeah,” Izuku mumbled, “exactly like that, yep.”

“Wait a minute…” the pink girl leaned forwards again, as if inspecting Izuku, as he tried his hardest not to wither under the attention, “oh my god! You _are_ Izuku Potter, aren’t you!?”

“W-well,” his attempts to try and disappear _through_ his seat were leading nowhere, “it’s Izuku M-Midoriya now.”

“I should have known!” Mina exuberantly slapped her own forehead, “of course you’d be in this year! Wow! Hogwarts really is the best, isn’t it? Wait, can I see?”

“Er?” Izuku was trying, and failing, to keep up with her _own_ rapid-fire train of thought.

“Your scar!”

_Oh, right, that._

The most unique feature that Izuku possessed (other than his dark green hair, a family trait he shared with his adoptive mom) was a bright red scar at the edge of his hairline, one that closely resembled a lightning bolt.

His mom had tearfully (of course) explained to him, once he was old enough, that this scar was thought to be where the Symbol of Darkness had _touched_ him as a baby, a lingering sign of the villain’s ruinous presence in his life. Apparently, it was this scar that marked him as the “boy-who-lived”.

Whatever his own feelings about it, he pushed his hair off his forehead (where it stuck upright, his own curly hair tending towards “unmanageable” on the best days), revealing the Lichtenberg-like mark.

“So cool!” Mina excitedly cheered, and Izuku had to admit that, at least in this moment, it didn’t really feel like the grim reminder that it sometimes did.

The door to the car slid open once again, revealing a tall, serious-looking man wearing glasses, his own blue hair the only unique trait that he possessed at a glance.

“Good, you’re seated,” the man spoke, “we will be arriving at Hogwarts in exactly three minutes, so it is imperative that all students remain in their cars, to guarantee an orderly deboarding.”

“Well, this is the last car, so it’s all good!” Mina smiled widely, “you’re Mister…?”

 _I think he’s actually a student, but I don’t blame you for thinking he’s a teacher…_ Izuku knew that he could be somewhat rigid in his routines, but this guy brought it to a whole new level.

“Oh _no_ ,” the man seemed to realize something horrifying, judging by the frozen expression on his face, “ _I_ am not seated!”

Unexpectedly, he bowed at a nearly ninety-degree angle, his motions almost robotic in their precision.

“Please forgive my intrusion, would you permit me to sit with you!?” he announced.

 _Okay, well, at least I’m not going to be the_ only _weird one…_ Izuku thought, as he shared a glance with Mina.

“The more the merrier!” she chirped, as the blue-haired man quickly sat beside Izuku, his posture absolutely _precise_. “Hi! I’m Mina!”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, fellow student!” the man had a _sort_ of excitedness about him, but even his handshake seemed stiff, “I am Tenya Granger!”

“Er, hi,” Izuku took his turn to perform a piston-like handshake with Tenya, “I’m Izuku, er, Midoriya.”

Compared to Mina, if Tenya had recognized Izuku’s signature scar, there was no sign of it in his expression. Izuku felt a shock of surprise of his own, as he quickly understood the likely reason for the serious boy’s lack of reaction.

Magic hadn’t _always_ been openly acknowledged, there had been times in the distant past when magical and non-magical societies were kept entirely separate from each other. The appearance of Quirks had changed that, and over the years, the two worlds had merged together until most of the _global_ population was both capable of magic _and_ possessed a Quirk.

While Izuku could have sulked over the tangential reminder of how he was an exception to this latter statement, he instead focused his thoughts on the _other_ demographic of people who were often looked down on in society, one which Tenya apparently belonged to.

The unlucky percentage of each generation who _didn’t_ develop the ability to use magic found themselves outcast, derided with an old Wizarding term: “Muggles”.

Those wizards and witches whose parents were Muggles – first-generation magic users (like Izuku suspected Tenya was) – were often discriminated against by those who had long family histories of magic. Izuku’s birth father had belonged to one of these ancient bloodlines, while the Midoriya sisters (his birth mother and his mom) were the first of their own lineage to become witches. As much as Izuku had struggled with his Quirklessness, he realized that he was also lucky in a way, since he wasn’t entering an entirely new society for the first time.

As the train pulled in to Hogwarts, Izuku gaped in wonder at the hallowed grounds of this famous academy, while silently resolving to himself that he’d do his best to assist Tenya with any struggles the tall boy might encounter due to his so-called “blood status”.

“I look forward to our future association as students of Hogwarts Academy!” Tenya stiffly announced, rising from his seat and practically _marching_ from the room as soon as the train came to a stop.

“Whew!” Mina giggled, “he’s… intense, huh?”

“He seemed… earnest?” Izuku chuckled, and was surprised that Mina stood by the door of the car, waiting for him to retrieve his suitcase instead of just leaving at the first opportunity.

 _Right, she doesn’t know I’m Quirkless yet…_ he frowned, fearing the moment when this friendly young woman would inevitably decide he wasn’t worth her time to even speak to.

“So what house are you aiming for, Izuku? Wait, don’t tell me, it’s got to be Gryffindor, right?”

“Uh, yeah,” Izuku smiled, while internally doubting that he had any chance of getting into the so-called “House of Heroes”.

House Gryffindor had a famous reputation for being made up of the most _heroic_ members of Hogwarts’ already-elite students, producing more pro heroes than any of its companion houses. All Might himself, of course, had been a Gryffindor.

Izuku was holding out hope that he might wind up in Ravenclaw – the house that had produced a number of fine support heroes, which seemed a fit for his analytical mind – but had already accepted on some level that he’d probably wind up in Hufflepuff, the house that future sidekicks and agency-based heroes were often sorted into.

Really, Izuku felt that he was lucky to be a member of _any_ Hogwarts house, though he’d admit that he hoped to avoid house Slytherin: at least according to tradition, the fourth house was where the most _ambitious_ students wound up, its graduates including both elite heroes (the current Number Two Hero, Endeavor, was a former Slytherin) but also an unsettling number of _supervillains_.

Still, he didn’t see the point in revealing his doubts to Mina, already finding that her ever-present smile inspired him, somehow, to at least _pretend_ like he had a chance at being recognized as a prospective hero among heroes.

“How about you?” Izuku returned the question, already betting that she had the same answer as what he’d claimed.

“Oh, same for me!” Mina’s grin grew even _brighter_ somehow, “loads of my family have been Gryffindors, it’s practically a tradition at this point!”

“That’s really cool-“ Izuku interrupted himself in the middle of his reply, reaching out to grab Mina by the waist, pulling her backwards just in time to avoid a tall student who’d almost stepped right into her, as if he didn’t even notice she was there.

“Hey!” Mina protested, and Izuku hurriedly removed his hands from her waist, already embarrassed at himself for touching her, “watch where you’re going!”

_Oh, she’s not mad at me?_

“If you stand in my path,” the boy turned to face her, his face somehow expressionless and yet disdainful at the same time, “then you are in my way.”

Like many of Izuku’s possible classmates, this newcomer had unique hair, half of it a chilling white, half a fiery red, precisely split down the middle of his scalp. Izuku realized that the boy’s slicked-back hair was not the only way his features were divided, noticing that his left eye (under the red side of his hair) was a brilliant turquoise, while his right eye (under the white half) was a granite-like grey. Much like Izuku himself, this boy had an identifying scar, a burn mark around his left eye standing out in an angry red welt, despite the fact that it looked to have healed long ago.

_A division-based Quirk, maybe? Or perhaps the balance of his sides shifts as he uses his power? Maybe each eye shoots a different kind of beam? Could the burn be from Quirk feedback when he was young?_

“Geeze, you don’t have to be a jerk about it!” Mina wasn’t backing down, Izuku realized.

“Hmm,” the boy looked her up and down, and it was obvious that rather than ‘checking her out’ (as Mina would say it) he was taking _measure_ of her, somehow, “Mutated features, abnormally-coloured hair, and shallow exuberance. You _must_ be a Weasley.”

 _I’m pretty sure that half-white, half-red hair isn’t “normal” either…_ Izuku thought.

“That’s right!” Mina stuck her chin forwards resolutely, “Mina Weasley, future hero, at your service.”

“Despite the sheer quantity of your ilk,” the boy’s tone remained flat, devoid of emotion, “there has not been a single Weasley within the top-fifty heroes in, what, one decade? Two?” ignoring Mina’s sputtered protests, he turned his attention to Izuku, “ah.”

Izuku forced himself not to fidget, shrinking away from the intense gaze of this two-toned man.

“You are Izuku Potter,” he spoke, and there was no surprise in his voice (nor much of _anything_ ), “it is good to see that there will be at least some others with potential in our year.”

The boy extended his hand towards Izuku, who looked down at the gesture in surprise.

“I am Draco Todoroki,” his introduction was as flat and passionless as he had been when taunting Mina.

Izuku continued staring for a second, before making his decision.

“It’s Izuku _Midoriya,_ actually,” he did not take the offered handshake, “and I don’t understand why you’re being rude to Mina.”

Draco – _he looks like the sort to prefer “Todoroki”, really,_ Izuku thought - retracted his hand, but if he was annoyed or angered by Izuku’s refusal, it was impossible to tell beneath his frosty demeanor.

“We are attending Hogwarts Academy,” Todoroki explained, even though all three already knew this, “I am not here to pursue friendships or to play schoolyard games.”

For the first time, _an_ emotion entered the boy’s eyes, disappearing almost as quickly as it had glimmered into existence, too fast for Izuku to guess at what Todoroki might have felt.

“I am here to become the future Number One Hero,” Todoroki concluded, “as I am sure that you also aspire towards. If you are serious about this pursuit, you should consider whom you choose to surround yourself with.”

“Yeah,” Izuku wasn’t convinced that he could even make it as a hero, let alone the Number One, but he didn’t feel like sharing this with the callous boy across from him, “I _am_.”

Todoroki didn’t reply, simply turning wordlessly and stalking towards the train’s exit.

“That was so cool!” Mina reached out to slap Izuku in the back, who nearly fell over, surprised and quickly beginning to sputter at the unexpected gesture of encouragement, “ice cold! What a one-liner!”

“Oh, uh, I guess?” Izuku blushed, nervously realizing that he may have just made an enemy of someone who was likely _vastly_ more powerful than himself.

“We’re gonna be best friends!” Mina’s smile was almost enough to stop him from worrying, “I can tell!”

 _It’s been a long time since I’ve had a real friend,_ Izuku felt himself smile in return, _that sounds… really great._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more of the major merged characters have shown up, and I'm looking forward to hearing how their concepts landed :P 
> 
> Up next: the Sorting Exam!


	4. The Sorting Exam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku officially enters Hogwarts, and takes the Sorting Exam to find out which House he'll belong to!

Izuku gazed in wonder around the dining hall of Hogwarts, trying to handle the sheer _awe_ that he felt, sitting in the middle of such a legendary place. Mina had run off somewhere (though she’d cheerfully announced “see you later, Izuku!”, at least), leaving him seated at a table with a number of people who he didn’t know.

At the front of the hall, the teachers of Hogwarts Academy were assembled at the head table, and it was all that Izuku could do to prevent himself from hyperventilating as he recognized a number of famous pro heroes: _that’s Present Mic! That’s Vlad King!_

He’d even _spoken_ to one of these heroes, the hulking figure of Hound Dog looming over his peers at the end of the table.

One of the teachers that Izuku _didn’t_ recognize was a small… _creature?_ that stood from its seat, a white mouse-like animal dressed in wizard’s robes and wearing an _enormous_ pointed hat that practically covered its entire upper body.

The creature cleared its throat, then began to speak, its voice carrying through the entire hall through magic.

“Welcome, to the newest class of students at Hogwarts Academy!” the creature’s voice was surprisingly deep, as Izuku admitted that he’d expected it to _squeak_ like the rodent(???) that it vaguely resembled.

“Today will be one of the most important in your schooling,” it continued, “for after all, today is Sorting Day! You’ll find out which of our four great Houses that you’ll belong to, and, with any luck, you’ll forge connections that you will carry for the rest of your careers as Pro Heroes!”

 _With any luck,_ Izuku thought, somewhat bitterly, _I’ll manage to make more than_ two _friends…_

“Now, I know that you must have a lot of questions,” the creature leaned forward, a smirk on its face, “such as ‘am I a mouse? A dog? A bear?’”

“What’s important is,” it made a sweeping gesture, and suddenly began to grow, stretching and changing into a tall, elderly man with a long white beard, “I’m the Headmaster!”

 _Of course!_ Izuku realized, _Nedzu Dumbledore, the greatest Wizard in the world!_

Izuku found himself joining in the cheer that rippled through the gathered students, as the Headmaster grinned widely, bowing like a showman before he straightened to continue speaking.

“The next step you’ll take is also one of the most important,” Dumbledore waved his hands, “I speak, of course, of lunch!”

Befitting an institution of its reputation, Izuku was amazed at the spread of food which appeared on the table before him, delivered in a flash by a swarm of strange, mechanical-looking little things; the infamous Hogwarts “House Bots”.

It was all that Izuku could do to _try_ and enjoy lunch, but even as he appreciated the delicious katsudon he ate ( _mom’s is still better,_ he thought), his mind was filled with fears and worries about the Sorting Exam coming up.

 _Every year is different,_ he’d found out from his research, _but it will involve some sort of heroic scenario, a rescue, or fighting “villains”, or possibly even both._

Izuku knew that he could use his magic during this exam, but without a Quirk… he did not fancy his chances of standing out in a good way against his peers. _Everyone_ in Hogwarts was most likely skilled with magic, but Quirks were simply more powerful, more _useful_ in many scenarios.

After all, while Izuku might manage to summon a fireball into existence if he threw all his power into an _Incendio_ spell, a pro hero such as Endeavor could simply use his Quirk to generate flames of much greater intensity, with more control, by a mere _thought_.

He continued to think in circles as lunch ended, only leaving his own thoughts when a different speaker stood up from the teachers’ table: a short man with a shock of wild blonde hair, wearing a giant pair of sunglasses _indoors_.

 _The Pro Hero Hizashi Flitwick,_ Izuku had already recognized the man, _aka “The Voice Hero: Present Mic”!_

“Can I get a **hooray!?** ” Present Mic’s voice echoed through the hall, louder than any _Sonorous_ spell, met by a stunned silence from the gathered students.

“Geeze, tough crowd…” his enthusiasm continued undeterred, “welcome, Wizards and Witches! Hopeful heroes, one and all! Who’s ready for the Sorting Exam!?”

This, at least, caused a few of the more enthusiastic students to cheer. Izuku was not among them.

“As I’m sure you all know, the Sorting Exam consists of a challenge which will test your skill, your power, your intelligence, and most of all,” Present Mic gestured dramatically, “your potential!”

The blonde man continued waving his arms wildly, and a series of images sprung into existence, magic charms creating glowing displays which hovered in the air behind him.

“This year, the scenario will be as such: Villains have vanquished the local heroes, and now dominate downtown! It will be your responsibility, spectacular students, to defeat these dastardly delinquents!”

He waved his arms, and the images behind him changed, showing four diagrams of what appeared to be _Golems_ ; magical constructs similar to the House Bots, but less intelligent and more temporary. _And, judging by the scale on those diagrams,_ Izuku noticed, _much larger…_

“There will be three types of threats you will take on!” Present Mic seemed more excited than the students, “the first, here,” he pointed, “will be worth one point! The second, two, and, naturally, the third, three!”

 _Golems are animated by runic magic,_ Izuku ran through what he knew, _so if the keystone rune – usually marked on the forehead, or equivalent – is disrupted, it should count as “defeating” them…_

“Excuse me!” A slightly familiar voice called out, and Izuku spotted a blue-haired boy with his arm rigidly raised above his head.

_Tenya, you’re practically as robotic as the golems are…_

“Yes, minor magician?” Present Mic responsed.

“There are four diagrams displayed, and yet you have only specified three types of opponent,” Tenya now began to chop his arms in the air, “I would expect better of an institution so illustrious as Hogwarts Academy!”

“Quite right, you observant orator!” Present Mic pointed to the fourth diagram, and Izuku’s eyes practically boggled at the specs which glowed for emphasis, “the fourth villain you might encounter is a tricky one, indeed! This is the Zero-Pointer; a foe beyond your ability to combat, you should intend to avoid its assault if you plan to perform perfectly!”

 _It’s sixty feet tall,_ Izuku’s mind whirled, _I might be able to take down some of the one-pointers, maybe a two-pointer, but not even a fully-fledged battle Wizard could handle that…_

“And now, you’ll be divided into groups!” Present Mic was practically the opposite of Tenya Granger, all of his gesticulation _wild_ and disorganized, “then proceed to the testing arena indicated by your group!”

Izuku blinked, noticing that an envelope had appeared in front of him, quite literally by magic. Opening it, the slip of paper within bore “GROUP D” in large letters, and, looking around quickly (and maybe in a bit of a panic), he quickly spotted the correct hallway to enter.

Huffing a breath, trying and failing to calm his nerves, Izuku stood, and walked towards the first of his many trials at Hogwarts.

* * *

There were around a dozen students that gathered in the room outside of the testing arena’s giant doors, most of whom Izuku didn’t recognize. While he counted his blessings that neither Bakugo nor Draco Todoroki had wound up in his group, he was equally unlucky that Mina and Tenya had also been sent to different testing grounds.

He certainly _recognized_ the tall girl that he’d briefly spotted on the Hogwarts Express, with black hair, and a serious, almost _disdainful_ expression on her face. Other than her, the stand-outs in the group of students included a boy in bright, _expensive-_ looking robes (including a cape), a plain-looking boy whose most noticeable feature was the giant tail that stuck out of his own robes, and a girl with an apparent mutant-type quirk, judging by the pair of horns that protruded from her forehead.

 _Her mutation seems to be similar to a bull’s horns,_ Izuku pondered, _enhanced strength or stamina are likely, but a kinetic quirk applied through a “bull’s charge” is possible, if mutation is even applicable to her Quirk manifestation. The boy in the cape is a likely emitter-type, judging by his flashiness and the sunglasses he’s wearing: perhaps light-based? The one with the tail must have superhuman strength, merely to move while carrying such a weight behind him, potential leaping-based Quirk or enhanced balance?_

Izuku realized that the other people were staring at him, and his jaw snapped shut to silence his muttering.

“Hmm,” the tall girl spoke, “it seems that we are being given the opportunity to strategize before this examination begins. I believe that it is likely enough that we are being assessed in part according to our ability to cooperate with one another, as the nature of this scenario is one where the defeat of the villains would take precedence over any individual combat achievements.”

 _Okay, at least I’m not the only over-thinker in this group,_ Izuku followed her thoughts, and wasn’t inclined to argue: if nothing else, perhaps his own ability to strategize might be useful.

“I would suggest that those with Quirks suited to close-range combat should make up the first wave when this examination begins,” the tall girl continued, “and others whose abilities are more suited to support should focus their efforts on ensuring the success of these more capable combatants.”

“I’ll take on whatever comes our way,” a boy with spiky red hair answered, grinning (showing similarly sharp-looking teeth) and pounding his fists together, “I’m Eijiro Weasley, but call me ‘Fred’, exam bros.”

“And what is _your_ Quirk, tall girl?” a second boy challenged the aforementioned brunette, “you wouldn’t be hoping to sabotage the scores of your competitors, would you?”

“I am Momo Greengrass,” the girl – _Momo_ – answered, a frustrated frown crossing her features, “and _trust me_ , I do not require any such handicap in order to demonstrate my own capabilities.”

Her hands _glowed_ , and a long metal staff appeared from thin air, which she twirled expertly, staring the second boy down all the while.

 _Fascinating!_ Izuku thought, h _er Quirk is much faster than a summoning charm, and if it bypasses the limitations of transfiguration, could be more versatile! What would her own restrictions be? Perhaps she can only create certain kinds of objects, and it’s likely that the act of generating matter is draining in some way, it could be that she has to focus intently to maintain these creations?_

“Hmph,” Momo now stared at _him_ with a cool look on her face, and Izuku blushed, flinching away slightly, “I _would_ be offended, I suppose, if it wasn’t _you_ who was speaking. I would suggest that you take second-in-command for this examination, perhaps you would like to lead our vanguard, Mister Potter?”

The students around them gasped, some now muttering under their _own_ breaths, a couple actually pointing at Izuku in excitement.

“Blimey!” The red-haired boy ( _“Fred”,_ right) called out, “you _are_ Izuku Potter!”

“I prefer ‘Izuku Midoriya’,” Izuku protested, “but, er, yes, that’s me.”

“Take me for your team, _monsieur,_ ” the boy in the shiny cape appeared beside him, “my Quirk is flashy and versatile, perfect for a hero!”

“What is it?” Izuku’s excitement to learn about Quirks was enough that he forgot about how awkward he felt.

“ _Oui oui,_ ” the boy spoke in French, for some reason, “my ‘Navel Laser’ shoots from my belly, and it is surely strong enough to reduce these villains to dust!”

“Long-range emitter-type,” Izuku muttered, “most useful as ranged support to close-range combatants… how long can you fire it for?”

“Ah, I am afraid that is my _le point faible,_ my weakness,” the boy answered, “no more than three seconds continuously, _non_?”

“Most effective when prioritizing high-value targets,” Izuku realized, “two-pointers are faster and more dangerous than one-pointers, yet more fragile, according to the specifications displayed, likely simulating emitter-type villains…”

As he realized that he was off on another tangent, Izuku glanced up at the students surrounding him, who all looked at him with _strange_ expressions on their faces, almost as if they… wanted to hear what he had to say?

“Am I support or front-line?” a girl with bobbed hair and noticeably rosy cheeks asked, “my Quirk is called Zero Gravity, anything I touch with all five fingers starts to float!”

“Faster and more powerful than levitation charms,” Izuku realized, “is there a limit to the number of objects you can affect at once? Are you subject to the effects?”

“Ah, it’s more about the total weight,” the girl blushed even more, “and I _can_ float myself, but, um, it’s not the best…”

 _A powerful, versatile, and dangerous ability, equally effective on attack, defense, or even in general utility…_ Izuku was impressed once more by how _scary_ Quirks could be.

“Er, um,” he realized he needed to answer her question, “I th-think you could be at the front? You should be able to d-defeat any of the enemies with a touch…”

Before he could continue this conversation, Izuku was interrupted by Present Mic’s voice booming through the room unexpectedly.

“ **BEGIN!”** the hero cried, as the door leading to the arena opened, “there’s no count-downs for real heroes!”

In a flurry of activity, the students rushed into the testing arena, any more advanced tactics thrown to the wayside as they immediately rushed into the battleground. Izuku kicked himself into motion after freezing in surprise, and even as he took his first steps into the testing arena, he saw that others had already begun to fight against the simulated villains within.

Fred, the red-haired boy, actually ran _through_ his first opponent, the Golem shattering around his form as it seemed that he activated an enhancer-type Quirk, his skin almost resembling stone as he burst out the other side unscathed. A glittering beam of light shot through the air, piercing a two-pointer, as the boy in the shiny cape apparently took Izuku’s advice.

 _I’ve got to get at least_ some _points!_ Izuku realized in a panic, scrambling to try and find an opponent that someone hadn’t already dealt with.

His first opportunity came as he darted down an alleyway between the realistic-looking buildings making up this testing arena, a one-pointer Golem staring him down at the other end. Izuku aimed his wand at it, and yelled “ _Diffindo!_ ”, casting a severing charm at its head.

His spell glanced harmlessly away, bouncing off a golden, glowing barrier that then faded out of existence. Izuku’s eyes widened in shock as he took stock of his enemy; though he could clearly spot the animating rune carved onto a pane of glass in its “eyes”, these Golems were also apparently equipped with shielding charms.

 _I can’t fight them with magic,_ he realized, his hopes falling even lower. Frowning, he charged towards it, cocking a fist back: this hardly seemed any more likely to work, but he had to try _something_.

Instead, the Golem’s head _exploded_ as a small spear(?) punctured it, the animated being falling into pieces as it collapsed.

“Thank you!” a cheerful voice cried out, and Izuku spotted the girl with horns run past the other side of the alley, “very good making distraction!”

Her strange accent aside, Izuku was also left off-balance at the sheer _ease_ that she’d dispatched the opponent with, losing himself in his own analysis: _her quirk is actually an emitter-type, telekinetic manipulation of horns that she can project from her head?_

He was truly, absolutely _screwed_. He couldn’t compete with that, especially since his magic was useless against these foes.

The next few minutes passed in a blur, as Izuku desperately tried to even _find_ another enemy to fight, but every time he encountered a group of Golems, another student would inevitably appear in short order, laying waste to the artificial villains with one of their wonderous Quirks.

_I just need **one** point, I can do this, come on…_

His panic only grew when something **_boomed_** through the testing arena, the ground itself shaking. In horror, Izuku’s gaze fell on the source of this sound: the titanic figure of the Zero-Pointer, which had emerged not far from his current location, smashing through a building as it stomped towards the students nearby.

“Run!” one of the students (a short boy with strange, purple hair that resembled rubber balls) called out, nearly knocking Izuku down as he fled past him.

Izuku turned around, preparing to do just that, when a faint voice sent a shock down his spine: “Help!”, someone cried.

He glanced about desperately, and across the street, spotted the person who’d called out. The girl with the zero-gravity quirk was pinned under a piece of rubble, the building material falling across the furthest end of one of her legs, and from how she was struggling, it seemed as if she couldn’t reach the obstacle to free herself.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Izuku was running towards her, the enormous Zero-Pointer looming ever-closer behind them.

“It’s my leg!” the girl choked out, as he arrived, “I can’t reach it!”

 _You’ve gotta save her,_ Izuku knew, but another **_boom_** indicated that he had seconds, at best, to do so.

“ _Wingardium Leviosa,_ ” he flicked his wand at the piece of rubble, and it floated into the air just high enough for him to shove the debris out of the way, reaching down to lift the girl up to her feet. She gasped, and her weight sagged against him.

“I think it’s broken…” she bit back on her pain, and he noticed that her ankle was bent at a clearly-unnatural ankle.

Another **_boom_** indicated that they’d run out of time.

Izuku looked up in terror, the Zero-Pointer towering over him and the girl. This close, he could see the enormous rune etched into its “eye”, as it loomed against the sky, slowly raising one of its tremendous fists as it prepared to land a colossal blow on him and the zero-gravity girl.

He had to stop it, somehow, and magic wouldn’t work…

 _Of all the dumb ideas you’ve ever had,_ Izuku put a plan into motion immediately, _this is one of the worst…_

“Use your Quirk on me!” he yelled, and started to cast a spell as the girl realized what he’d told her to do, “ _Engorgio Musculus!”_

The Golems that he’d seen in this test were surprisingly fragile for their size, and he prayed that the Zero-Pointer was constructed similarly to its smaller brethren. While Quirks almost universally tended to be _better_ than magic, and the Zero-Pointer was shielded against any offensive charms he might try… this didn’t mean that he couldn’t use magic on _himself_.

Izuku screamed a desperate cry as he leapt into the air. Magic couldn’t give him a super-strength Quirk, but between the effects of the girl’s quirk and the muscle-growing charm he’d cast on himself, it gave him a close-enough approximation. He launched himself towards the Zero-Pointer’s enormous head, cocking his fist back as he sailed towards the pane of glass where its animation rune was located.

_This is going to be awful..._

Nobody could hope to approach All Might’s strength through magic alone, none had even come close through Quirks and magic alike, but Izuku Midoriya tried his very best to emulate his hero as he shrieked “Smash!”, just before he collided with the Zero-Pointer’s eye.

He bounced off, his arm cracking loudly and twisting painfully when he _punched_ the giant Golem in the head, and it was all that Izuku could do to stay conscious as pain exploded through his body.

However, his arm wasn’t the only thing that broke.

The Zero-Pointer froze, its fist stationary mere feet from Izuku, as spiderweb of cracks began to spread over its eye. The glowing rune animating it winked out of existence, and the Golem toppled backwards, its giant form splintering and falling apart as it fell to the ground with a mighty _thud_.

 _I did it,_ Izuku thought, as he slowly spiraled towards the ground.

When he landed with a soft _thump_ , he chanced a glance past his obviously-broken arm, and immediately noticed that his legs were similarly broken, unable to bear the strength he’d temporarily granted himself through magic.

 _I think I’ll pass out now,_ he decided, and then he did just that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some inspiration to do a slightly different take on this familiar scene!
> 
> The fact that Izuku doesn't have One For All is something that will definitely change the course of plot points from MHA, but he _is_ a Wizard in this setting - not that it tends to help him out that much...
> 
> Up next: Izuku finds out his House, and meets the classmates he'll spend his next few years with!


End file.
